Zeiss Terra 3-9X 42 MM Review

by
posted on March 11, 2014
W8824_TAR-0583.jpg

When Carl Zeiss introduced its Conquest line of riflescopes in 2001, it was the first time that the company acknowledged American tastes and hunting requirements might differ from those of central Europeans. Among the features different from other Zeiss scopes were lighter weight, plus longer and constant eye relief.

Just as important was a price competitive with popular American-style scopes, made possible by most parts being made in the Czech Republic, which offers less expensive labor costs than Germany. Inevitably, the price started creeping upward, partly because wages rose enough that most Conquest manufacturing shifted to Germany.

Zeiss finally gave in to the world-wide trend of having optics manufactured in Asia with the new Terra 3X scopes, which are intended to sell for less than the Conquest line. The lower-magnification Terra scopes sold so well that Zeiss decided to drop what were essentially the same Conquest scopes. The scope tested here is the Terra 3-9X 42 mm with Z-Plex, or a standard plex-type, reticle.

The test rifle was a Heym SR-21 bolt action in .300 Win. Mag., chosen because it recoils hard enough to test the internals of hunting scopes, and because it’s very accurate.

After mounting the Terra in Talley steel rings, a couple of shots at 25 yards got the rifle on paper at 100 yards, and the scope was then adjusted to put the bullets right at the point of aim. The clicks could be easily felt and heard. After allowing the barrel to cool, three more shots resulted in a group of 0.65 inches typical for the rifle.

After that the windage adjustment was cranked 3 inches (12 clicks) to the left, and one shot fired. After that 24 clicks were made between shots, alternating between windage and elevation, resulting in single shots at each corner of a 6-inch square. After more than two dozen shots, four groups appeared at the corners of the target, measuring 1.13 inches, 0.41 inches, 0.87 inches and 1.38 inches, an average of 0.95 inches. Distances between the centers of the groups ranged from 5.75 inches to 6.5 inches, with an average of 6.06". When divided by 24 the result is 0.2525 inches, for all practical purposes equal to the advertised 0.25-inch clicks.

The optics test took place after dark, using a chart of 10 alternating black-and-white lines, starting with a 1" line at the top and gradually thinning to a 1/16" line at the bottom, illuminated with a 100-watt incandescent light bulb from 25 yards.

Scopes are rated by the smallest line visible when set to 6X. With hundreds of scopes tested over several years, so far none has tested better than an 8, the 3/16-inch line, and all of those cost more than $1,000. Most modern multi-coated scopes under $500 test around 6. After adjusting the focus, the Terra rated a solid 7, the same as all the Conquests tested over the years.

There wasn’t any of the “looking through a tunnel” effect seen on some scopes, and the eye relief (tested with the flashlight method) measured 3.7 inches at 3X, slightly exceeding the nominal specifications, but only 2.8 inches at 6X and 2.5 at 9X. This was the biggest difference between the Terra and the Conquests, since all the 3-9X Conquests we have tested exhibit eye relief of at least 3.5 inches anywhere in the magnification range.

The specifications indicate that the functional temperature is minus 13 to 122 degrees F. After placed in a chest freezer set to minus 10 overnight, and with the turret caps removed, the Terra was placed in 110 degrees F. water for two minutes. No bubbles appeared, and after the dunking there was only slight interior fogging, which dissipated within less than a minute. This is normal even in well-sealed scopes, since it’s impossible to keep all moisture out after they leave the factory.

With its new Terra riflescopes, Zeiss has made available to shooters optics that exhibit the performance the company is known for, but at a price most can afford.

Zeiss Terra 3-9X 42 mm

Importer: Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, 711 Moorefield Park Drive, Building E., N. Chesterfield, Va., 23236; (800) 441-3005

Magnification: 3-9X 42 mm

Finish: matte-black

Eye relief: 90 mm (3.54 inches)

Click value: 1/4 inches at 100 yards

Reticle: Z-Plex (tested), RZ6 and RZ8 ballistic

Length: 12.4 inches

Weight: 14.8 ounces

Accessories: owner’s manual

Suggested Retail Price: $444

Latest

Browning 1936 Cover Web
Browning 1936 Cover Web

The Browning Model 1936

This Browning Model 1936 was never actually manufactured. Only a few were made, chambered for the French 7.65 Long, for French government trials.

Preview: Strike Industries NGSW Wire Management Kit

Selected by the U.S. Army for specific use with the XM157 optic aboard its Next Generation Squad Weapon competition winners (the M7 and M250 rifles), to unobtrusively secure the former’s potentially bothersome cables out of the way.

Review: OA Defense 2311 Compact

Despite having been made popular by John Moses Browning over 100 years ago, his sacred M1911 design has soldiered on into the modern era, and companies like OA Defense are taking to the classic military platform in all-new ways, improving functionality by nearly tripling the design's capacity with double-stack mags, adding optic-mounting capabilities and more.

New For 2025: POF-USA LMR & P15 BASE Rifles

POF-USA's LMR and P15 BASE rifles are designed to get the company's patented rifle technology into the hands of more users than ever before.

Preview: Athlon Midas TSP1

The unmagnified Midas TSP1 from Athlon Optics features an etched-glass reticle and a nitrogen-purged, one-piece aluminum chassis.

Gun Of The Week: KelTec KSG410

Watch our Gun Of The Week video this week to learn about an American-manufactured bullpup pump-action shotgun in .410 bore made by KelTec CNC Industries of Cocoa, Fla.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.